Burial-casket attachment



NOV. 4, 1930. CLARKE 1,780,171

aunm. CASKET ATTACHMEN'I Filed Apr-11 23, 1928 7 I N V EN TOR:

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED; s rArE s Jaime. CLARKE, or oRAwronnsvILLE, INDIANA B UnIAL-cAsKnr ATTACHMENT Application filed April 23,

This invention relates to a type of burial casket having a combined body and lid part and a relatively low base part, the invention having reference more particularly to attachments whereby the body part is connected to the base part.

An object of the invention is to provide improved attachments for burial caskets whereby to connect the body part to the base part thereof and permit'the body part to be unfastened'at one side and tilted over from the base part. 7

Another object is to provide improved casket attachments of simple-but attractive form which may be'manufactured. at small cost and so as to be adapted to. be readily applied to the casket parts.

A further object is to provide improvements in burial casket attachments which shall be applicable to metallic caskets in a simple and inexpensivemanner and prove to be strong and reliable, and afford facilities whereby to substantially connect carryin g handles orhandle bars to the casket. base p A still further object is to provide improved casket structure related to attachments whereby the body part may be hinged and otherwise secured to the base part of the casket, which attachments shall be strong, durable and. economical in use.

\Vith. the abovementioned'and other objects in. view, the invention consists in a casket comprising abody part and a base part provided with improved attachments whereby one side of the-casket body part is hinged to the base part and the opposite side of the body part securely latched to the base part, the attachments having handles thereon whereby to carry the casket; and the invention consists also in'the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts as here inafter particularly described and further definitely claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a casket equipped substantially in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the main parts of the casket connected together with the improved attach- 1928. Scria1 N0. 272,306.

ments; Fig. 3 is a transverse section in which the body part of the casketis tilted over from the base part; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the novel parts of the at. tachments adapted forthe front of the casket, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another of the novel parts adapted for the back of the casket, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged. scale showing the details of latchin g means whereby the body part is connected to the base part; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view ,of an improved stop device, on an enlarged scale, whereby to limit over-turning movement of the casket body part' Similar reference characters indicate corresponding elements of the structural featuresin the various figures-ofthe drawings and herein referred to in detail.

Theburial casket having the improved attachments may be of any desired model of the type having alow base and an inclosing body part, the casket illustrated for descriptive purposes being adapted to be composed of sheet metal. The base part comprises a flat bottom part 1 and preferably a bed part 2 centrally thereon, the marginal portions of the base part preferably being laminated and provided on its edge portions with a continuous moulding which preferably is hollow, the rear portion 3 and the front portion i only being involved in the invention. The casket body part has a rear wall 5 and a front wall 6 involved in the invention, and a lid portion 7 fixed'to the body part The lower edge of the body part preferably has a reinforcing rib 8 on its rear side that is arranged within the confines of the moulding.

A hinge plate 9 is provided which is arranged at the inside of the back moulding portion 3 and has foot members 10 and 10' that are seated 011 the bottom of the base, each foot member being secured in place by means of a screw ll inserted therein and having a head 12 engaging the under side of, the base bottom. The hinge member 9 has a hinge device 13 that is located at the top of the moulding, and a handle plate 14 is appropriately connected with the device 13 and has conven tionalor other suitable handle brackets 15 and 15 on its outer side to which arms 16 and 16 are respectively connected as customarily and carry a handle bar 17. The upper portion of the plate 14 has a projection 18 on its outer side corresponding in contour to a lifting handle which may be used for lifting purooses if the handle bar is temporarily omitte from the structure. The plate 14 is suitably secured to the wall 5, preferably by means of rivets 19, the plate having rivet holes 20 for the purpose.

A latch plate 21 adapted for carrying a handle and to constitute a handle plate is provided and it has foot members 22 and 22 seated on the base bottom at the rear side of the moulding portion l, being secured in place in the same manner as the members 10 and 10. The plate 21 has handle brackets .23 and 23 thereon to which the handle arms 25 of such proportions as to support the handle brackets at a convenient distance above the base moulding corresponding to the level of the brackets at the rear side of the casket body. The casketbody has a hood 25 thereon which preferably has a back plate '26 that is secured by rivets 27 to the front body wall 6 and affords a handle for lifting the front of the body part, the hood receiving the upper portion of the plate 21 and being provided with a latch bar 28 suitably pivoted therein that has a hook '29 adapted to engage the rib 24. The latch bar has a finger 30 thereon whereby to retract the bar which preferably is held in operative position by a suitably arranged spring 31.

A suitable elastic plate 32 having foot members 33 and 33 to be seated upon the base bottom is provided, being suitably secured in place in the manner above described with respect to the members 10 and 10, the upper portion of the plate 32 having a lateral lug 34 thereon to be engaged by the rib 8 after sliding on the plate to be retarded when the casket body is swung back on its hinges.

he casket obviously being provided with as many others as desired of the attachments above-described, details thereof in the description are deemed unnecessary to an understanding of the invention. The hinge connection 13 being so located as to be higher than the bottom of thebody part, it is to be understood thatthe body part may extend downward to the base plate 1 or may be shorter as may be desired and the front portion ofthe body part supported by the back plate 26 of the hood in contact with the top of the plate 21.

In practical use the cover part, being hinged to the base part is latched to the base part the means described so that when the handle bars are used to lift and carry the casket, the base part is directly carried and carries the body part with the lid portion thereon. When a person places his fingers under the hood 25 his fingers readily operate the latch bar 28 to release the body part and permit it to be swung by means of the handles or hoods 25 to a tilted position to permit a corpse on the base part to be viewed during the funeral ceremonies. Vhen the body part drawn forward to normal position on the base the front portion of the body part automatically becomes latched to the base.

hat is claimed is:

1. A burial casket attachment comprising ;a hinge plate having foot members thereon, a handle plate hingedly connected to the hinge plate and provided with a handle bracket, and a handle having an arm connected to the bracket.

2. A burial casket attaclnnent comprising a stop plate having a foot member to be vertically secured on a base bottom, the plate having a lateral lug thereon, and a body part provided with a hinge to support it and permit its lower portion to be carried to said lug.

3. A burial casket attachment comprising a handle plate provided with a handle bracket and also a latch rib, a handle having an arm connected to the bracket, a hood to receive the latch rib,- and a latch bar pivoted in the hood and having a projection :to engage the latch rib and having also a finger to retract the bar.

4:. In a burial casket, the combination with a base bottom and a moulding thereon, of a hinge plate having a foot member rigidly secured to said bottom at said moulding, said plate having a hinged device located at the top of the moulding, a handle plate connected to the hinge device and having a handle mounted thereon, and body part wall rigidly secured to the handle plate.

5. In a burial casket, the combination with a base and a body part to cover the base, of means to hingedly connect the rear side of the body part to the base provided with a handle bar, a handle plate rigidly secured. to the base and provided with a handle bar and also a latch rib at its top, a hood secured to the front Wall of the body part to receive the upper portion of the handle pla te. and a latch bar pivotally supported under the hood and adapted to engage said latch rib, said latch bar being provided with an impelling-sp'ring' and having a retracting finger thereon. I

In testimony whereof, I affis my signatiire on the 16th day of April, 1928.,

JOHN Q. CLARKE. 

